By Clint Thompson
This week’s Florida Citrus Show allowed more than 50 exhibitors to continue their support of the event, hosted by AgNet Media. As a result, they continue to show support for fruit and vegetable farmers in the Southeast; at least, that’s how Mike Adrover views it.
“It’s incredibly important because they are the lifeline of the state. They’re the lifeline of Deutz as far as these engines are concerned. They definitely keep us in business, so it’s very important that we’re out here supporting and making our presence known,” said Adrover, service sales manager for Deutz Power Center Florida.
Deutz was one of more than 50 exhibitors at this year’s show, held on Wednesday at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center as well as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service U.S. Horticultural Research Lab. He was not alone in sharing that philosophy of supporting local farmers.
“We support agriculture in a ton of different ways, through this show; any way possible,” said Jeremy Nipper, agricultural sales manager for Everglades Equipment Group. “These are our customers. Everything we do is supporting the customers.
“The beauty of these shows, too, is you get your customers together in one spot. When you have them here in this atmosphere, and they’re here to talk about business, they’re here to mingle; you get them all here together and it makes it easy to shake hands and sell hello.”
Tailgating Experience
Vendors showcased their products as well as some tasty treats during the tailgating portion of the event. It provided a unique opportunity for participating vendors to interact with the attendees in a more relaxed setting.
“I love it. I love the fact that it’s a cookout, so it creates a little bit more community. Everyone wants to come around and share what they have and the fact that you have these seminars. People are constantly coming back and forth, it makes it enjoyable, at least for me,” Adrover said.
Nipper added, “I feel like they hang around a little more instead of just moving on. They stay here and socialize more than they do in an inside environment.”
When attendees were not mingling with exhibitors, they were listening to informative sessions designed to educate growers about pertinent topics that will impact the industry, such as the farm bill. Citrus and vegetable sessions allowed for specific topics to be discussed as well.